Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what you are doing currently?
I was born in Hong Kong, grew up and was educated here. I am currently a full-time in-house legal counsel mainly advising on listing rules, compliance and M&A projects.
What drives you to serve the community?
During my undergraduate studies in public administration, I first learnt about game theory and the natural reluctance of people to collaborate with each other. Later, I was inspired by several mentors who have achieved financial independence in their late 30s. Their common advice has been to give and contribute to society. A multi-win situation of maximum gain can be achieved only by people's active collaboration as teams, whether for society at large or for an individual's personal life. Once we become excellent givers, we will be excellent receivers too. These ideas led me to think about how I can contribute more to society. Hong Kongers are generally generous with donations of money, so I believe donating my time as a volunteer will make a bigger impact on the community.
What do you believe is the impact of the volunteer work you've done for HandsOn?
With HandsOn Hong Kong, I spend most of my time as a bread runner for Feeding Hong Kong. As I grew up in a traditional Chinese family, my grandfather taught me a Chinese poem from the Tang Dynasty: “鋤禾日當午，汗滴禾下土。誰知盤中餐，粒粒皆辛苦。” This can be translated as, hoeing the grass under the noonday sun, the peasant's sweat drips on the ground beneath. Who knows that every single grain on the plate was produced from the peasant's hard work?
Growing up with this poem, I hate wasting food. Feeding Hong Kong's mission of rescuing surplus food which would have otherwise gone to landfills and redistributing it to charities and communities perfectly resonates with my beliefs. I believe every step taken in carrying the food from Hong Kong Island to their Yau Tong warehouse helps those in need by contributing to their health and ultimate survival.
What advice would you give someone looking to start their volunteer journey?
Be empathetic and put yourself in the shoes of those you help. Be open minded and talk to those you help, other volunteers and NGO staff. You will make many new friends from different walks of life and learn a lot from them.
Can you share an interesting story or touching moment you have had while volunteering with HandsOn?
I am very impressed with HandsOn’s innovative ideas for creating various kinds of community activities, ranging from teaching the elderly to use smartphones to helping kids with special needs enjoy a Christmas buffet or play at Ocean Park. We always have great time at these activities. The smiles and expression of thanks that greet me every time are the most touching moments to me. This is what drives me to continue volunteering and making an impact.
